Telegraph signaling system



H. 0. RUGH. TELEGRAPH SIGNALING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 8. I919. 1,347,176. I

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Patented July 20, 192i}.

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HARRY o. :aue'n, or onrcaeo, runners.

TELEGRAPH SIGNALING SYSTEM.

Specification of Iaetters Patent. P t t d July 20, 1920.

Application filed May 8, 1919. Serial No. 295,802.

To all whom it may concem:

Be it known that I, HARRY O. RUGH, a citizen of the United States'of America, residing at Chicago, Illinois, in the county of Cook and the State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Telegraph Signaling Systems, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, as will enable others skilled 'in the art to which my invention appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to signaling systems, and has for its object, the provision of an improved system, in which the telegraphic signals received over a telegraph line, may be more easily understood by the operators.

More particularly, my invention contemplates the provision of a signaling system, wherein the receiver audible signals are of the buzzer or tone signal type. It has'been found that operators can more easily read the incoming signals, when they are of the buzzer or tone type, than of the old cus tomary Morse signal type.

For instance, tests have been made involving thousands of messages, whereby it has been discovered that the operating errors by the Morse system were as 7 is to 4, when compared with like tests, using the buzzer syste However, since it is customary to operate telegraph instruments on the closed circuit system, wherein current continuously flows over the line, even while messages are not has been found that the buzzers, being continuously operated are a source of annoyance. nal is a most annoying noise. It says, Come quick and et busy; therefore, it is a further object of my invention to provide an audible signaling system adapted to operate under the control of a telegraphic line relay, to faithfully produce in tone, audible signals, the dots and dashes of the ,Morse telegraphic code, at the same time being wholly inoperative during the intervals when telegraphic signals are not being received by the line relay.

Other objects of my invention are to provide in such a system, an improved controlling mechanism whereby the buzzer is made operative only at such times and for such periods as it is required to be operative and to be inoperative at all other times; also to so construct this mechanism, that it will be non-marginal in operation, capable The buzzer tone sigof positive adjustments, inexpensive to manufacture, and to remainin proper adjustment for long periods of time, without attention.

I have also provided as an. operating element in my improved system, an audible tone receiver, having an adjusting means to vary the amount of sound emitted by the said receiver.

Other objects of my invention and the invention itself, will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which my invention relates, by reference to the description of the same, in which description, reference will be had to the drawing accompanying the same. Referring to the drawing at R,I show a telegraphic line relay, serially included, together with a source of current B, and a telegraph key, K, in a telegraph line, whose incoming line conductors are indicated at 1 and 2. The key K, is operated to intermittently close the telegraph circuit when messages are being sent from the station, whereat the signals may be received, such as the station A, whereat the apparatus of the system of my invention illustrated in the drawing is supposed to be located. A distant station, not shown in the drawing, but understood to be connected with the distant end of the circuit conductors ,1 and 2, also comprises like apparatus as illustrated in the drawing forthe station A.

In the following description of the system of mly invention, it will be assumed that the key for the station A, is in its normal or closed circuit position, and that the corresponding key at the distant station, may be operated or continuously closed as will later appear, to operate the telegraph line relay R, when messages are. being received at the station A, from the said distant station.

A local circuit comprising a winding of the electromagnet S, and 2 source of current B Y, is serially included in a circuit, together with make contacts, 3, normally closed in response to the normal energization of the relay R. Spring mounted on a fixed support F, is a weighted reed-tongue R T, which reed-tongue may be made in different forms, but in the embodiment illustrated, consists of a rigid weight member W, spring mounted by a spring M S on the rigid support F; a spring contact 4, mounted on a'contact spring 5, carried by the member W is provided and so arranged to cooperate with a fixed contact 6 which is preferably made adjustable by bemg mounted on an adjusting screw 7 by virtue ofthis arrangement, the distance between the contacts 4-6 may be variedat Wlll. The contact spring 5, normally presses against a stop 8, also mounted on the rigid member W.

An adjustable stop screw S C 1s provided to limit the movement of the'reed-tongue R T in one direction and the rigid portion W of the reed-tongue is normally pressed against the stop S C under the retractile power of the spring 9. The spring operating upon the armature 10, of the relay S, causes said armature 10 by its pressure against the member W to deflect the reedtongue R T from the unstressed position it would otherwise occupy to a position wherein it rests against the stop screw S C. This under the assumption that the line relay R is not energized, which is seldom the case in an operating system.

When the system is in operation and prior to the receiving of a message, the relay B, being normally energized, its contacts 3 will be closed to cause the energization of the magnet S, which being energized operates the armature 10. The armature 10 being operated will withdraw its pressure from the reed-tongue R T and the reedtongue R T will leave its stressed position, wherein the member W contacts with the stop S C. Because of the energy stored in the mount spring M S, the reed-tongue will vibrate, swinging first in 'a forward direction, coinciding w1th the forward movement of the armature 10 and after a forward excursion, wherein the contact 4, engages the rigid contact 6, it will, due to the elasticity of the mount sprin M S, swing in an opposite direction; at eac swing the energy is stored for the return swingl, succeeding swings of the reed-tongue R following rapidly and gradually decaying in amplitude, finally dying out altogether.

At each forward swing, the contacts 4-6 are closed, these contacts bein again opened on a swing in the opposite irection. The reed-tongue thus vibrates to and fro intermittently, closing the electrical contacts 46 until the vibration, having diminished in amplitude a certain amount, the amount being predetermined byQthe adjustments of the contacts and the adjustments and proportions of the elements involved. During the intermittent closures of the electric contacts 46, a circuit is completed for the energizing winding of the audible receiver ma net R C, which winding is serially inclu ed in circuit with the said contact and thesource of current B Y. The intermittent closures of the contacts 46 are of sufiicient frequency, that they produce current impulses of a sufficiently. high frequency through the winding of the audible tone rethe armature 10 be retracted during the tone signal period, that is, should the armature 10 be retracted prior to the termination of the period during which the signal would otherwise have been given, the said armature, by forcibly pressing the reed-tongue member W against the stop S C in spite of the tendency of the reed-tongue to continue its vibration, the intermittent contacts between the contact members 46 will cease and the tone be terminated and the producing tone terminated.

he armature 10, being under the control of the sending key at the distant end of the line as is apparent from the foregoing description, short or long tone signals, may be produced at the will of the sender, corresponding to dots and dashes of the Morse telegraphic code. It is only required that the adjustments be such that upon a continued closure of the telegraphic line circuit, the tone signal be given for a period substantially longer than any dot or dash sigwith the cooperating electrical contact 6;:

thus the energizing circuit for the tone signal device R C will be open and the annoyance of a continuous tone signal is eliminated.

When the system of my invention is applied to its existing telegraph system, I prefer to make the structure comprising the reed-tongue, its mount, stop and electrical contacts, together with armature 10, and the actuating electric magnet S in a unitary mechanical piece of apparatus. I can however apply a reed-tongue and its associated elements to the ordinary telegraph relay or sounder of the art, which may comprise a malgiet such as S and an armature such as I am aware that numerous and extensive departures may be made from the embodiment illustrated and described herein, but what I claim as my invention is defined in the following claims 1 In a telegraph system, a telegraph circuit, a plurality of stations therefor, a telegraph relay for a receiving one of the said stations, a tone producing device, an arma- 10 ture for the said relay, a reed-tongue, electrical contacts operated by the said reedtongue, while the said reed tongue is vibrating, said reed-tongue being mechanically held by the said armature in stressed condition when the relay is deenergized and being adapted to initiate a prolonged train of vibrations of the said reed-tongue when the said relay is energized, said armature immediately terminating the reed-tongue vibra- Eil tions when the said relay is deenergized, and

a controlling circuit for the said tone producing device comprising the said contacts and a source of current.

2. In a signaling system, a tone receiver,

a circuit therefor, a source of current and a pair of electrical contacts for the said circuit, a reed-tengue adapted to intermittently close the said 'contacts when the said reed-tongue is vibrated to operate the said tone receiver,

at the said reed-tongue having a non-vibrating stressed position and an unstressed position, in both of which positions the said contacts are opened to disable the said tone receiver circuit, an electromagnet, an armature thereggg for, retractive means for the said armature,

means including a source of current to energize the said magnet to cause'the movement of the said armature against the power of the said armature retractive means, a mechanical connection including the said armature operative when the said magnet is de-' energized, to cause the said reed-tongue to take its non-vibrating stressed position, said magnet when energized causing the vibration of the said reed-ton ue.

3. In an electrical re ay, in combination -with a pair of circuit controlling contacts, an armature for the said relay, a reedtongue disposed in the path of the said armature, said contacts being adapted to be operated by the said reed-tongue only when the said reed-tongue is vibrated in excess of a predetermined amplitude, means including the said armature to cause the vibration of the said reed-tongue when said relay is energized, the said armature being arranged to immediately terminate the reed-tongue vibrations upon a subsequent deenergization of the said relay, an electrical circuit con- 0 trolled by the said contacts, a source of current and an electroresponsive device in the said circuit.

4. In an electrical relay, in combination with a pair of circuit controlling contacts,

85 an armature for the said relay, a reedreed vibrations Whenever the said armature tongue, said contacts being adapted to be operated by the said reed-tongue only when w v the said reed-tongue is vibrated in excess of a predetermined amplitude, means including the said armature to cause the said reedtongue to per-form a series of successive vi brations beginning with a forced vibration of maximum amplitude the succeeding vi-' brations being of gradually decreasing amplitude when said relay is actuated, the said 76' armature being arranged to mechanically engage the reed tongue to immediately terminate the reed-tongue vibrations upon a subsequent reciprocal actuation of the said relay, an electrical circuit controlled by the 80 said contacts, a source of current and'an electro-responsive. device in the said current.

5. In an electrical relay mechanism, in combination with a pair of circuit control- 35 ling contacts, an armature for the said relay, a reed-tongue adapted to contact with the said armature when the said armature is in normal position, said contacts being adapted to be operated 'by the said reedtongue only when the said "reed-tongue is vibrated in excess of a predetermined amplitude, means including the said armature when the said relay is operated to cause the said reed-tongue to perform a series of successive vibrations beginning with a forced vibration of maximum amplitude the succeeding vibrations being of gradually decreasing amplitude when said relay is operated, some of the said vibrations being in excess of the predetermined amplitude the succeeding vibrations being of less than the predetermined amplitude, said armature being arranged to instantly discontinue the is in released position. 6. In an electro-responsive mechanism, the combination with an electromagnet, an armature therefor, a reed, said reed normally being in mechanical engagement with the said armature, a contacting element, an associated contacting element for the said first named contacting element, said armature being adapted to operate the said reed to cause it to perform a train of gradually decaying vibrations when the said armature is operated by the said electromagnet, means including the said armature to instantly discontinue the said train of vibrations whenever the said armature is reciprocally operated by the said electromagnet, said contacting element and said associated contacting element contacting with each other to give a signal at all times when the said reed is vibrating in excess of a predeter- 1'25 mined amplitude.

7. In a signaling system, a tone producing electro-responsive device, a circuit therefor, a source of current and a pair of electical contacts included in the said circuit,

an electromagnet, an armature for the said electromagnet, a reed, normally contacting with the said armature, said armature being adapted to operate the said reed to cause it to perform a train of gradually decaying vibrations when the said armature is operated by the said electromagnet, means including the said armature to instantly discontinue the said train of vibrations whenever the said armature is reciprocally operated by the said electromagnet, a circuit for the said electromagnet, a circuit closer in the said circuit adapted to control the said electromagnet operations and to thus control the terms of reed vibrations,'said pair of electrical contacts being operated by the said reed when vibrating at an amplitude in excess of a predetermined amplitude.

8. In a signaling system, a telegraph line circuit, a source of direct current, a dot-anddash commutator and an electro-magnet winding in the said circuit, a magnet core for the said winding, an armature for the said core, a reed, said armature controlling the said reed tomechanically hold it inert when the said circuit is opened, and to start the same into vibration when the said circuit is closed, said reed being adapted to thereafter vibrate in successive decaying periodic vibrations, an extension of the said armature adapted to engage the said reed to forcibly cause it to discontinue its vibrations when the said circuit is opened.

9. In a signaling system, a telegraph line circuit, a source of direct current, a dot-anddash commutator and an electro-magnet winding in the said circuit, a magnet core for the said Winding, an armature for the said core, said armature mechanically controlling the said reed to start the same into vibration when the said circuit is closed, said reed being adapted to thereafter vibrate in successive decaying periodic vibrations, an extension of the said armature adapted to engage the said reed to forcibly cause it to discontinue its vibrations when the said circuit is opened, a tone producing electroresponsive device, a local circuit therefor including a set of contacts and a source of current and means to operate the said contact set by the vibrating reed.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 3d da of May, A. D. 1919.

l IARRY O. RUGH. 

